Origin of the Ham

      The ancestors of the society perhaps were unable to recall with certainty where they came from to settle in Ham land (ribi Ham), however, the account below might be of great insight to you, all sons and daughters of Ham, as well as the general reading public.

      According to Maancek:
We, the Ham, according to what we were told, came (down) from the mountains of Miango and settled in Atyap area. Later, we left the Tyap area to a certain forest named Sheky Ham (Forest of the Ham).

When we settled at this particular place all Ham were one. It was at Sheky Ham (Forest of the Ham) that we left and found a people who were called Fùró (Ham pioneers). We constituted five different groups (the clan of): Fù Dúng, Fu Wenyom, Fu Kudak, Fu Nggainy and Fu Cyoor.

After we arrived and met with Fùró we dominated the area but they remained together with us. At that time, we took over the place from them and because of that did whatever we wanted.

But the Fùró were there and are there up to now. We are with them. We are sturdier than they. This is how life in this country (ribi Ham) up to this day was managed. At that time we ceased warring with them after they (Fùró) were defeated.  

      Accordingly,  the cognates of the Ham in other groups around; the Oegworok who are known as Kagoro today – did not go to battle with the Ham; Atyap– did not fight with them; Ashiolio who are known as Marwa – we do not clash with them; Anghan (Kwong in Hyam) known as Kamanton, and the Bakulu (Yuni in Hyam)  – did go to war with the Ham; All these (mentioned) people are our brothers. We migrated from one place at the beginning. 

The above version was narrated by late Kpop Zheky, Maancek Kure. It was tape-recorded on 4th March 1969 by Ludwig Gerhardt, a German scholar whilst the translation is by Philip Hayab.